Correct gardening of the balcony with your own hands. Beautiful balcony: landscaping as a highlight in the interior Ideas for landscaping a balcony

In the absence of a private house with a blooming garden and fragrant flower beds, you can equip a small floristic kingdom in your compact apartment, and the ideal place for this is a balcony or loggia. Such an area of the home will become a real source of energy and tranquility, which are so often lacking in a gray and gas-polluted urban space. In addition, landscaping a balcony is a great opportunity to realize yourself as a designer, florist and just a person with a creative approach to the process of arranging your home.

What plants to choose for landscaping a balcony?

So, if you have dreamed for a long time and finally decided to acquire a flower garden on your balcony or loggia, it is important to take into account all the details so that not only you, but also the plants that will fulfill their aesthetic purpose, are comfortable.

The optimal amount of sunlight is one of the main factors, therefore, future “pets” should be chosen in accordance with the illumination of the room. If the loggia faces the sunny side, light-loving plants will be the best option. Mid-flowered and small-flowered petunias are loyal to the heat, and will delight the eye with their bright colors for a long time, if you ensure regular watering. Bush petunias can be planted in boxes and pots at a distance of 15-20 cm, as well as correctly calculating the volume of land per plant, which, depending on the variety, can be from 3 to 10 liters. For seedlings of petunias, soil based on peat and various baking powder is used, since it has sufficient friability and moisture permeability.

Landscaping of loggias exposed to intense sunlight can be carried out with the help of drought-resistant nasturtium, it blooms from the end of May until the first frosty days. Purslane rejoices in the sun to such an extent that only with the appearance of its rays does it open its buds, this happens from mid-July until the end of September. In addition to the listed options, there are a great many plants that are ready to endure the exhausting summer heat, and also rain and wind just so that you can enjoy the splendor of their flowering, such unpretentious species include geraniums, snapdragons, begonia, Gaillardia and others.

If the loggia is shaded, and the sun appears very rarely, you should think about the device of artificial lighting, or make a choice in favor of shade-tolerant greenery. For a shady balcony, decorative perennial plants with a shallow root system are most often chosen, such as spiraea, hydrangea, coleus, cinquefoil, hosta. Typically, these plants prefer moist and well-drained soil. In a loggia, devoid of sunlight, it is quite possible to organize a real mini-jungle of vines, or the so-called green walls of honeysuckle, lemongrass, maiden grapes and actinidia, all these climbing plants take root well in shady rooms. Despite the unpretentiousness of the listed species and their ability to live in the sun or in the shade, it is worth remembering that your pets need constant care and attention, only then will they be able to delight you with lush, long flowering.

A glazed balcony, unlike an open one, allows year-round landscaping, while it is necessary to thoroughly seal the room, equip it with good ventilation and artificial lighting, if all these rules are observed, even a small winter garden can be organized on the balcony.

For an open balcony, bright ampelous plants are best suited, which will cover the outer side of the balcony with their climbing stems, this is especially true for fences with a curly lattice. For outdoor terraces, various annual flowers are popular, as well as tuberous and bulbous flowers, which can be transferred, for example, to a pantry in winter.

Choosing a loggia landscaping design

You have decided which representatives of the flora will live on your loggia, it remains to choose the form in which the tenants of the flower garden will exist, namely, in what design the balcony greenhouse will be embodied and what creative solutions can be applied for this.

There are two fundamental principles of plant placement in landscape gardening - horizontal and vertical, the combination of which, if properly combined, will also give an effective result. Horizontal landscaping is used in those design techniques when it is necessary to decorate horizontal surfaces, such as railings and floors. This solution creates a feeling of comfort, coziness and rational order, adding neatness and style, it is suitable for medium-sized rooms. Horizontal placement is accomplished using a long container fixed to the balcony railing, or several boxes placed close to each other, thereby bordering the balcony. Also, an effective option for the arrangement of flower arrangements will be a shelf or rack, on which plants are displayed in lines.

Vertical gardening of a balcony is the design of vertical surfaces, such as doors, windows, exterior and interior walls, in this case climbing plants that will cover the surface and create so-called living screens are perfect. There are many options for vertical placement: installing shelves and racks with pots along the wall, hanging planters on windows or walls, attaching baskets and pots to the ceiling. You will get a very original result if you install flowerpots or narrow pots with planted vines along the wall on the floor, directing the shoots up the wall with the help of supports or twine. For vertical decoration of the balcony, the curly tricolor morning glory is ideal, for the cultivation of which only a small area and a strong support are needed, this plant blooms all summer, starting in May.

Do-it-yourself gardening of a balcony requires a competent approach to drawing up a flower arrangement, which it is desirable to even sketch out in the form of a sketch for a more detailed understanding of the ultimate goal. Here, a very important point is the compatibility of plants, not only in terms of aesthetic indicators, but also in terms of care. Perhaps the flowers planted in a joint planter require a different watering regime, but they will receive it at the same time, so geranium and cactus cannot exist together, one of them will rot, and the other will dry out.

Summing up, it is worth noting that there are a whole host of options for landscaping a balcony area, it all depends on fantasy, imagination and, of course, on minimal knowledge in the field of floriculture. After arranging flower plantations, it is important to take care of the plants, regularly monitor watering, the temperature of the atmosphere and the presence of light. A landscaped loggia, balcony or terrace will help you organize your little picturesque piece of nature right in the apartment, giving your home individuality and creating a great mood not only for the owners, but also for people passing by.

The modern urban dweller has such an intense pace of life that sometimes there is not even enough time for rest. And, if you need to plan a trip to nature in advance, that is, a place in the apartment where you can relax at any moment is a balcony.

Landscaping of loggias is very popular today. This is not only a great way to refresh your home and the facade of the house, but it is also possible to create a small cozy corner, a winter garden for relaxation.

How to choose the right flowers for the balcony so that they delight with their beauty all year round - this is about this in our article.

The balcony is a kind of bridge, a transitional space from living space to nature. Here you can hide from the bustle of the city, relax. Plants on the balcony will create a special atmosphere.

Winter garden on the loggia, photo

The main aspects of balcony decoration

Landscaping of balconies and loggias only at first glance seems such a simple task. In practice, there are many aspects to consider in order to create a harmonious design. How to decorate a room with flowers correctly?

Before arranging a greenhouse on a balcony, organizing a winter garden, a number of factors should be taken into account:

the size of the available area;
location of the structure (sunny side, shade);
the desired style of balcony decoration;
periods of flowering of different plants (if you want to have a blooming balcony all year round).

Advice: the correct placement of plants in the winter garden, the greenhouse will save you from the difficulties in caring for them in the future.

Bright flowers on the balcony will always cheer you up, photo

How to choose flowers for a loggia

In order to enjoy the blooming balcony as long as possible, the type of construction is taken into account when choosing plants: closed or open, insulated or cold.

Flowers for an open balcony

For a structure that does not have a platform, but is only fenced with a curly lattice, climbing and falling bright ampelous plants for the balcony are suitable, which will beautifully braid the lattice - petunias, as well as pelargoniums, climbing roses.

The French balcony is literally buried in flowers

Various annuals are a versatile solution for any type of construction. On the sunny side, it is better to plant drought-resistant flowers (purslane, small-flowered chrysanthemums, verbena, marigolds, euphorbia, pansies. Different types of geraniums look beautiful.

The attention of passers-by will surely be attracted by bright flowers on the loggia, photo

But for the northern balcony, cold-resistant plants such as viola, primrose, ivy, fuchsia and non-double tuberous begonia are suitable.

The ivy will create a pleasant shade, and a subtle delicate smell will emanate from the mignonette.

Owners of an open design often have a problem: what to do with the plants for the winter. The ideal solution is to grow bulbous and tuberous flowers, which can be stored in the pantry in winter.

With the onset of spring, the bulbous flowers bloom first.

We select plants for a closed room: winter garden

On a glassed-in balcony, the conditions for keeping flowers are better, which contributes to the extension of their flowering period. Therefore, closed structures offer more options for do-it-yourself gardening. With the presence of insulation, you can even equip a real winter garden on the balcony. Options for its design are presented in our gallery.

The winter garden is a green area where a person can recuperate, relieve stress, and enrich the body with oxygen. The green flowers that fill it uplift the mood and improve the well-being. It is not for nothing that the winter garden is also called a means of landscape therapy.

An example of arranging a recreation area in a winter garden

Flowers in the winter garden require regular care, a certain level of illumination, temperature and humidity. Basic requirements for the balcony on which it is planned to equip a winter garden:

the structure must be insulated and equipped with additional lighting, good ventilation is needed;
the room must be carefully insulated and sealed. When glazing, double-glazed windows should be used, at least two-chamber;
It is preferable to use natural materials for interior decoration of the structure (wood).

In addition, the location of the structure, the temperature regime in the room, and the level of humidity are important. These factors should be taken into account when planning a winter garden. Otherwise, the flowers will die.

Idea for arranging a winter garden on the balcony using cacti

Flowers for the winter garden are divided into several climatic categories: exotic plants of the tropics; vegetation of the Mexican deserts; greenery of rocky landscapes; orchard.

Citrus fruits always smell fresh on your balcony

Attention: if you decide to grow fruit-bearing trees (orange, lemon) in the winter garden, remember that they grow impressive in size and need a lot of space.

A winter garden can only be arranged in a heated room, but what about a closed but cold structure? There is a way out - to use frost-resistant plants for the balcony. For winter gardening of the balcony, flowers such as chlorophytum and zonal pelargonium (geranium) are suitable. Low temperatures are well tolerated by yucca, dwarf spruces and pines, juniper, thuja.

Frost-resistant evergreen shrubs with fruits have a good decorative effect.

How to organize a garden blooming all year round on a loggia?

In order for the flowers on the balcony to please with their colors all year round, the period of their flowering should be taken into account when selecting. So in the spring, hyacinths and tulips bloom first, in summer pansies, lilies delight with their flowering, and autumn is the time for chrysanthemums and asters.

Chrysanthemums will delight with their color before the onset of frost

Principles of decorating a balcony with plants

Flowers for landscaping an open balcony, winter garden are selected according to the principle of combination and placement. The design must be arranged harmoniously so that the plants fit into its design, but do not merge with the overall decor.

The first principle that should be followed when decorating a small balcony with flowers is the rational use of its area. So a small structure will be decorated with plants in different containers, placed along the railing.

Flowers on the balcony in staggered boxes will add volume to the structure

A spacious winter garden can be decorated with plants according to the vertical principle: place curly flowers along the wall and let their stems go up along tight threads. You can also arrange several multi-tiered racks, on the shelves of which you can place flowers in pots.

Hops, ivy and clematis create a beautiful hedge on the balcony

Containers for planting flowers

Flowers on the balcony should be combined into a coherent composition. For this, plants can be planted in different containers - boxes, pots.

Flowers in pots can be placed on special stands (wooden, forged). On an open design, flower arrangements will look beautiful in hanging baskets or flowerpots.

Advice: flower boxes for the balcony should not be too heavy. They can be painted with bright colors, or decorated using the decoupage technique.

An example of how you can decorate a small balcony with flowers

Plants in the winter garden can be diluted with figurines, candles, and the pots themselves can be decorated with beads, stones, painting. This will liven up the design of the room.

On a note: you should adhere to a single style when decorating a balcony, while flowers should be the main element in the interior.

Original flower arrangements will be the highlight of the winter garden

Outcome

Balcony floriculture is a great way to grow plants in an urban setting. It is pleasant and useful to spend time in the winter garden, arrange tea-drinking, read books. This is an opportunity to create beauty not only for yourself, but for those around you.

It has been proven by practice that, without making the gardening of the balcony, instead of a flower garden, it will definitely turn into a storage of unnecessary things left in case "what if they come in handy." Naturally, they are forgotten over time, and the balcony, like the loggia, becomes an almost unnecessary additional area in the apartment.

For landscaping, it is worth picking up flowers and plants that would bloom alternately, and then, your balcony will always be bright and fragrant.

There are three options for placing flower beds in such a limited area as a balcony, and even inside it:

horizontal, in which plants are placed in horizontal rows;
vertical, in which plants are placed from bottom to top on ledges (cascade placement);
ceiling, in which the flowers are fixed at a certain height.

Naturally, a combination of these accommodation options is also possible.

The option of placing a flower garden from the outside or from the inside of the fence will be considered separately.

Since there is no limit to imagination, amateurs can offer their own options. For example, it is easy to imagine a herringbone pattern if you place the steps in a spiral around the virtual surface of the truncated cone.

When deciding to green the balcony, keep in mind that the load on the console on which it is fixed has a certain maximum permissible tensile strength.

In no case should you exceed the value of this parameter. If you use the proposed options for placing flower beds, you will not be able to exceed the permissible loads.

If, however, large pots and boxes filled with earth are randomly placed on the balcony, then there is a possibility of waiting for trouble. Moreover, such an arrangement is not justified, because even if you completely force the balcony with tubs and pots of flowers, you may not get a beautiful composition.

Before deciding on the option of placing flower beds, you need to pay attention to the improvement. It is advisable to paint the balcony in a neutral color such as white or ivory. The color scheme of plants can be supplemented by choosing the appropriate paints and painting pots and pots with them. It is necessary to decide where to place the directional lighting lamp, since it will sometimes be pleasant to spend time reading next to flowers. Therefore, indicate where a small chair will stand, and possibly a miniature table.

Accommodation options

Today, there are several options for the placement of flower beds, recognized as optimal for balconies and loggias.

First

Gardening of loggias in this version is performed using elongated wooden boxes, tightly adjacent to each other. Inside, the boxes can be placed in two or three horizontal rows, placing them one above the other (multi-tiered composition). In the case of placing flower beds around the fence, boxes are usually installed on three sides of the balcony. They, unlike the boxes placed inside the balcony, have a size corresponding to the length of the fence. Similar boxes can be fixed under the window located between the room and the balcony.

Second

Drawers and flower pots are placed on special shelves or by attaching them to the end walls. As you know, balconies do not have such walls. Therefore, in order to apply this option, it will be necessary to install structures from the ends, for example, from aluminum corners, to which pots or pots can be attached. If it is decided to glaze the balcony, then you need to decide in advance what you will have on its ends, flowers or windows.

Third

A load-bearing structure is fixed between the end walls (possibly, reinforcing it with stops from the floor). For an unglazed balcony, this option is probably not suitable. For a glazed balcony, this option is possible, since the rigidity of the end structures may be sufficient so that a load-bearing structure for hanging flowers can be fixed between them.

Making boxes

The boxes should not be very heavy, then it will be convenient to work with them. We pay attention to the manufacture and fastening of boxes placed on fences. Their maximum height and width should not exceed 200-220 mm. Both pine and oak boards, at least 20 mm thick, are suitable for their manufacture.

To ensure the strength of the connection, the ends of the boxes are not flush. Longitudinal boards are nailed to the ends and additionally fastened with metal corners. The bottom is nailed to the box from below, and inside the width of the walls and bottom, the roofing sheet is fixed. To fasten the boxes, use steel strips with a cross section of 30 × 5 mm or metal rods with a diameter of 10-12 mm (the minimum dimensions of the parts are indicated).

They are placed along the length of the box at a distance of 600-800 mm. The bends of the fastening structures around the boxes and at the points of attachment to the fences must ensure their reliable fastening. Bending the metal should be hot. Fasteners can be purchased in a store or on the market and boxes can be made taking into account their dimensions. The metal of the fastener must be painted to protect it from rusting. Sometimes it is more convenient to use a metal cable to fasten the boxes to the fence from the inside or to the window frame.

The diameter of the rope must be at least 6-7 mm. For fastening boxes from the outside of the balcony, this method of fastening is not safe and should not be used.

To fix the brackets to the wall, it is necessary to gouge a hole in it with a depth of at least 150 mm, a diameter of at least 30 mm, and hammer a wooden plug into the hole tightly. The bracket is nailed to the wall with nails or crutches. Do not use plastic plugs to fix the brackets to the wall.

For landscaping the loggia, you should come up with such a plan so that the flowers are pleasing to the eye from early spring to late autumn. It is very important to take into account what temperature differences a particular species endures, because day and night temperatures on the balcony can differ significantly, and if we take into account the flowering time of various plants, this will create a continuous flowering process from spring warming to autumn frosts.

Flowers and plants should be selected based on their characteristics. For example, small flowers on the balcony create more coziness and are better combined with the small size of the room. And you can place them in much larger quantities. It makes no sense to convince someone which balcony plant is the most beautiful. You should pay attention only to the points that must be taken into account when cultivating flowers and caring for them.

Choice of colors

It is not possible to tell about everything that can be grown on the balcony. However, for a novice amateur, we will give minimal information about some of the fairly common types of flowers grown on balconies and loggias.

Marigold

Low-growing varieties are grown on the balconies, the minimum height of which is 20 cm. The maximum these plants can reach 1 m. Flowers reach 12 cm in diameter. Even in the open field, marigolds stop blooming only with the onset of frost. These flowers do especially well in the sun and in slightly shaded areas. These flowers do not require a lot of moisture.

Chinese carnation

Of all the varieties of carnations, only this variety feels good on the balcony. The height of this type of carnation does not exceed 30 cm, and the plant blooms continuously throughout the summer. Does not tolerate stagnant water in boxes and requires moderate watering. Do not feed often. So that there is no break in flowering in August, pruning is done at the end of July.

Ageratum

An upright plant, 10 to 60 cm high, loves sunlight and does not require abundant watering. The flowers are small, not exceeding 1-1.5 cm in diameter. On the balcony, they are planted in vases and small containers. Can be planted as an undersized component of a common flower garden. Blooms until September, after which seeds appear.

Nasturtium

The plant can be erect, creeping or climbing. The stem can reach a length of 2 m. The size of the flowers is medium, they reach 5-6 cm in diameter. In the open field they bloom from spring to frost. On the balcony, it should be placed in a suspended state in a sunny place, but feels good in a slightly shaded area. It tolerates drought well, but does not tolerate even light frosts at all.

Plant care

Of course, each plant requires a certain soil composition and a certain care. Specific features of plant care should be checked with the seller when buying seedlings. But there are general requirements as well. So, for annual plants, the soil must be changed annually.

For perennial plants, the soil should be replaced after 3-4 years, and some of them do not require changing the soil, but only require periodic feeding. To create a moisture-permeable environment, river sand must be added to the soil, and peat chips are added to the soil to contain the required amount of moisture.

Naturally, pathogens must be destroyed in the soil. Unlike indoor plants, balcony plants require significantly more nutrients.

Top dressing should be carried out with a weak fertilizer solution (1-2 g / l) once a week, replacing watering with it.

Vertical gardening is a design technique that can be used not only in gardens. To turn balconies into real summer oases, you don't have to be limited to just balcony boxes and a potted garden. With minimal space but beautiful flowering walls, you can achieve a stunning immersion in wonderful colors and scents. Growing ordinary annual vines, placing a large number of ampels on the wall or creating a real green fur wall - there are plenty of options for decorating balconies with flowers.

Using vertical gardening in summer, the balcony can be turned into a real garden. © aboutespanol

Benefits of vertical gardening for balconies

In summer, the balconies turn into a real resting area. Many indoor plants migrate here, and minimal costs and care efforts allow you to create a full-fledged potted garden on the territory of even the smallest balcony. Indoor and heated, open, large and miniature, balconies in summer can be a wonderful oasis of bloom. Surrounded by vibrant flowering plants, it is a pleasure to enjoy your morning coffee, cool cocktail, evening breeze or conversation in the sunbeams of the sunset.

Even displaying simple summer houses in pots or several balcony boxes can make the balcony space elegant. But nothing, perhaps, can compare in showiness and beauty with flowering walls. This method of vertically landscaping a balcony creates the impression of a solid wall of plants. At the same time, the flowering wall does not have to be the wall of the house. A flowering wall can be created at the end, partition or part of the balcony facade, used as a screen or protection from the bright summer sun.

Eco-friendly, creating not only a joyful atmosphere, but also a pleasant microclimate on the balcony, saving from excessive heat and purifying the air, vertical walls recreate the comfort of a blooming garden in a small balcony space. And the best approach to creating them is when inspiration and satisfaction from work is drawn from landscaping and gardening techniques.

Drawing up a sketch, determining the greening zone, initial conditions and selecting plants for them to implement the idea - these are all the steps that need to be taken at the planning stage.

Plants for vertical gardening of balconies

In vertical gardening of the balcony, you can use indoor plants - those species that love fresh air and are not afraid of drafts, "with joy" moving to gardens and balconies for the summer. But the bulk of the plants should be made up of annual stars - crops that have abundant and long flowering and are able to create color spots and elegant accents in the design.

Even in the creation of continuous phytowalls, annuals are the main favorites. Lianas or bushy plants allow you to freely form crops and achieve their maximum decorative effect without the need to save the plants for the next year and strictly adhere to the rules for growing them.

The choice of plants should be dictated by three main factors:

own preferences for the shape, color, details of the structure of flowers and leaves;
the conditions in which the plant will grow (orientation of the balcony to the sunny or shady sides);
the ability to provide thorough care for capricious plants or a preference to choose more hardy species.

When creating vertical gardens and landscaping the walls of the balcony, you can either create neutral background compositions, or try to plant the plants so as to get a lush and bright canopy. The color scheme can be changed and selected to your liking, combining flowering and decorative deciduous plants so as to achieve the maximum effect.

Harmonious pastel colors, bright one-color compositions or contrasts between the main garden colors - it's up to you to choose the options for decorating the balcony. The main thing to remember is that plants should complement and emphasize the beauty of each other, contrast in leaves and flower shape, while maintaining their individuality.

Seedlings for growing annuals or colorful vines can be grown by yourself or you can buy ready-made, already blooming, healthy seedlings. With the latter option, it is better to choose plants in containers, carefully assessing the condition of the leaves for traces of pests and the consequences of improper maintenance.

The main ways of organizing vertical gardening of balconies

When vertically landscaping balconies, today it uses three design methods:

Creation of a vertical canopy, screen or screen from vines.
Creation of a vertically positioned pot garden - placement on a stand or directly on the wall using the mounts of a series of pot and ampelous plants.
Create flowering walls using hydroponic methods or growing on a fur wall.

Each of the balcony design options has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you love tinkering and experimenting, you can set aside a larger budget, you can also afford a hydroponic wall. If you need the least time-consuming and complex option, then it is worth stopping at the vines. And if you like Italian, Scandinavian and Spanish motives, then you might think of colorful potted gardens on the wall.

Classic vertical gardening with vines

A simple stretched mesh made of wire, twine or a fixed trellis lattice made of different materials (metal, wood, plastic), boxes for growing summer houses with installed grids are the most traditional way to create verticals on the balcony. Green and flowering screens, which will create solid screens on such a support, will make it possible to fully use the possibilities of landscaping without losing valuable space.

The creation of such a flowering wall comes down to laying a drainage, filling the container with a substrate and planting plants, the shoots of which will need to be guided and tied up.

For southern and partly southern balconies, the selection of annual vines is especially rich. Here you can use nasturtium, modest in character, but dazzling in colors, and exotic kobei, and airy asarin, and romantic sweet peas, and the inimitable black-eyed winged tunbergia or quamoklite, which is fashionable today.

If you love original fruits, you can think of decorative pumpkins. Clematis or climbing roses can also be grown as a container plant, but in this case, you will have to take care of the correct wintering of the vines.

Lianas for shady balconies are very rare. For these purposes, ivy and grapevine are usually used, which are taken out into the fresh air for the summer. But sweet peas also grow well on the north balcony, especially if they receive proper care. Another liana that demonstrates amazing unpretentiousness is morning glory, bright gramophone and no less bright greenery of which look more elegant on the balcony than in the gardens.

Ivy, like a liana, is ideal for shady balconies. © idolza

Vertical pot garden

Having fastened fasteners for flower pots to the balcony wall, using multi-level stands, different variations of suspended multi-level shelves, you can create a flowering wall of dozens of pots on the balcony wall.

Today the choice of "attached" structures is very large. Narrow racks, ladders, shelves, racks, which are often a work of art with forged elements, old ladders or bookcases will help to place plants no worse than "hooks" and brackets with circles-supports for pots, other hanging holders of different sizes and shapes. You can place a series of plants not in containers, but in sacks made of canvas or dense fabric, in containers at hand (for example, old cans or an old service).

Of course, there are very practical limitations in the possibilities of placing pots in large quantities on the wall - from the possibility of using reliable fasteners to the stability of materials and the ability to drill holes. Shelves simplify the process, but they also need to be secured to prevent the structure from toppling over.

Not every balcony will allow hanging a dozen pots on the wall. For this option of vertical gardening, it is imperative to select medium-sized, light containers and a very light substrate and drainage in order to reduce the maximum load on the structure.

Choosing Plants for a Vertical Pot Garden

Petunias, pansies and marigolds are the undisputed favorites of balconies. But with vertical gardening, it is worth considering the form of plant growth. Ampelny plants with dangling shoots capable of creating beautiful cascades are the best choice. Today, even marigolds, pelargoniums, balsams, and also begonias have such varieties.

To achieve a particularly striking effect, it is worth combining ampelous plants with bushy plants in complex combinations, which will add additional volume to the flowering wall from different pots.

For the walls, composed of several suspended balcony boxes located one under the other, staggered pots with letniks or a pot garden located on a narrow rack, the choice of crops is carried out based on the lighting conditions:

On the east and west balconies, a charming vertical garden can be created from pelargonium, balsam, begonias, petunias, lobelia, brovallia, bacopa, diastia. Any indoor plants that can be taken out into the open air in the summer will feel great here.
On the southern balconies, heather and erika, catharanthus, gerberas, ampelous viols, marigolds, nasturtium, levkoy, ageratum, carnations, phlox, the same pelargoniums and petunias of hardy small-flowered varieties are more appropriate. Even ampelous strawberry varieties can perform a spectacular vertical task. From indoor plants, cacti, dracaena, yucca, agave, laurel, citrus fruits, aloe can be taken here and used in a vertical garden on a rack or stand.
On the cooler north side of the house on the balcony for a vertical potted garden, it is better to choose shade-loving indoor plants - ferns, fuchsias, tradescantia, ivy, cherry laurel, aspidistra, cissus. But the choice is not limited only to them. Forget-me-nots and mignonette, begonias and marigolds, balsams and coleus will grow on the northern balcony.

If you decide to decorate an open balcony with a vertical potted garden, which has no wind protection, then special attention should be paid to the stability of the structures. But the flyers also need to be selected more carefully. On windy balconies, calendula, ageratums, begonias, vervains, annual asters, chrysanthemums, gazania grow well.

In order for such a prefabricated pot garden, placed not in a horizontal, but in a vertical plane, to retain its attractiveness throughout the year, one must not forget to introduce potted accents to the main summer houses. Bulbous and small-bulbous, for example, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips and daffodils, followed by primroses, forget-me-nots, daisies and violets, will help to wait for the blooming of the main summer stars. And in the fall, it is worth adding asters, chrysanthemums, several bushes of cereals and bright decorative deciduous crops to such a garden.

Blooming walls in hydroponics

On the balconies, you can also use various methods of growing plants not by the traditional method - not in the soil, but in special substrates that hold nutrient solutions.

Growing without soil allows not only to make the process "cleaner", to reduce the real load on the balcony structure, but also opens up new perspectives in care: after all, such plants, as a rule, do not require such complex care. On the balcony, hydroponics and self-watering containers are used both for ordinary plants and for finding new ideas in the design of vertical elements.

For vertical gardening of balconies, you can use several options for hydroponic "walls":

vertical walls of moss with hanging gardens laid out on them;
the use of a bag or a suspended soft wall, a "canvas" with sewn pockets in which plants are planted (usually their base is made of waterproof durable fabrics - tarpaulin, burlap with complex impregnation);
planting plants in plastic pipes with holes;
creation of a vertical garden in pallets (pallets) converted into a "wall";
planting plants in converted tubs, cans and drums with drilled holes for planting plants.

Organization of vertical structures in hydroponics

The most perfect type of flowering walls on balconies are constructions that migrated to balconies from interiors (phytowalls). This is a special narrow design with an automatic irrigation system, and often with supplementary lighting, in which plants are planted in clean peat or ion exchange substrate.

The essence of all such walls is the same: a base (structure) is selected or altered, which will hold the moisture-absorbing substrate in an upright position, with holes or pockets for planting plants. In fact, this is a balcony version of vertical beds and strawberry gardens. Sometimes the space is lined with foil as an insulating layer.

Any base is suitable, in which holes with a diameter of 4-5 cm are located at a distance of about 15-20 cm. At the bottom of the wall, container, pipe, there should be a hole for water drainage. The structure is filled in the same way as any container - from the drainage layer at the bottom to the complete filling of the space with the selected filler substrate and the installation of capillaries, conductors for an aqueous nutrient solution - thin tubes or branches that will help maintain high water permeability. The addition of hydrogel and loosening admixtures is only welcome.

For vertical walls on the balcony, ion-exchange soil, expanded clay, coconut fiber, peat are used. But moss is still the best choice, especially for hot balconies. As a filler, it not only provides a much more efficient moisture retention, but also protects the plants from overheating. The main requirements for the filler are the combination of coarse texture with large particles, the ability to retain water, resistance to any decay and rot, neutral reaction and non-toxicity.

Growing flowering walls according to the principle of hydroponic installations is possible only when using nutrient solutions for hydroponic crops. Strictly following the manufacturer's instructions for concentration and frequency of treatments, hydroponic solutions are applied less frequently than watered and fed conventional crops.

Both annuals and perennials can be used to create flowering balcony walls using the hydroponic method. The main thing is that the selected species bush densely, be able to grow, create a continuous cover, or develop in the form of compact, but curly bushes. Periwinkles and anemones, marigolds, pansies, verbena, alissum, begonias, gamolepis, carnations, godetia, ivy, lobelia, balsams, armeria and all types of annual ampelous plants are planted in such walls.

Maybe you already have a vertical flowering wall on your balcony? Tell us about it in the comments to the article. What plants are planted there? Do they require a lot of attention?

On any balconies - small and large, you want to have a green recreation area, that is, with a maximum of plants and a minimum of reminders of the bustle of the city. A universal solution for urban conditions is balcony landscaping. Depending on the type of balcony - open / insulated, types of plants, furniture are selected.

Insulated glazed balcony: in winter and summer - the luxury of fresh, bright and blooming greenery

On insulated balconies, it is possible to extensively show your imagination in landscaping and have various varieties of plants and types of flowers. Particular attention is paid to the placement of furniture in the design of the garden. The garden is organized in such a way that the most beautiful view of the plants is from the recreation area. Therefore, you should carefully consider the arrangement of flowerpots.

The balcony drowning in flowers looks very beautiful

If the balcony area is small, but you want to place a lot of flowers, it is advisable to install a multi-tiered stand. It is most aesthetically pleasing to place multi-level compositions in the corners of the balcony (it is imperative to provide free access to flowers if this design is a rack with a radial arrangement of pots). In the winter season, it is advisable to place the plants away from the ventilated area or to provide for the possibility of shading the flowers.

Advantages:

there is always a summer-spring mood on the balcony;
plants can be on the balcony all year round, which is especially convenient when there are flowers in large pots.

Greenery for a "warm" balcony: types of plants, care features

The Winter Garden is an opportunity on a frosty morning to smell the fresh grass on the balcony, drink strong coffee and enjoy the flowering plants. Of course, connoisseurs and connoisseurs of winter gardens have a fashion for (especially exotic tropical species). But, if there is no desire to experiment and deal with additional equipment of the balcony (drainage / humidification, forced ventilation, air conditioning), then familiar and not capricious perennial plants can be placed on the balcony.

Fuchsia is a light-loving tree (maybe a shrub), prefers a moderate temperature of + 10-20 degrees. It blooms profusely and for a long time, with an increase in temperature, flowers may fall off, therefore, abundant watering is required in summer. It is advisable to add sand (1/5 part) to the soil mixture.

Hibiscus (Chinese rose) - needs a lot of space, a lot of light. Proper pruning and watering will ensure year-round flowering. Bright and large flowers will create a festive mood on the loggia.

Ficus Benjamin - optimal temperatures: + 24-29 ° C in summer and + 14-19 ° C in winter. In summer, periodic sprinkling of the crown is recommended. The shade of the leaves determines the requirements for illumination: variegated foliage - good illumination, green - partial shade, diffused light. You can grow an ordinary ficus (grows up to three meters) or a dwarf species.

In addition to the decorative function of a green garden, the opportunity to grow vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes) from seeds, as well as a mixture of greens (parsley, dill, basil) is in great demand.

You can grow vegetables, herbs on the balcony at any time of the year

In order not to disturb the overall composition of the winter garden, it is better to place garden crops in a specially designated place with suitable growing conditions.

Ficus Benjamina will decorate the balcony with bright beautiful greenery

Open balcony: terrace mood

The time of using the balcony for landscaping is limited - spring, summer, autumn. Therefore, flowers for landscaping are selected taking into account the properties of plants - flowering time, certain temperature indicators.

Advantages:

open space creates the atmosphere of a summer cottage terrace;
the possibility of using a parapet design for fixing flower pots and pots.

When forming a flower arrangement, it is advisable to decide on the interior view of the balcony. At the same time, it is necessary to organically place plants that are taken out of the apartment for the summer period and new, annual, grown from seeds or purchased in specialized stores. When choosing plants, it is important to take into account the location of the loggia: the north or south side of the building.

Petunia is always a safe bet in landscaping

Strong sun can have a detrimental effect even on sun-loving plants, so it is advisable to provide for the possibility of darkening the balcony area (folding awnings). From indoor plants, cacti and succulents can be taken out for the summer. Additionally, light-loving flowers are planted:

petunia is an unpretentious plant, distinguished by a variety of shapes and colors of flowers. It is better to sow seeds at home in early March;
Asters are easy-care plants, there are a large number of different shades and shapes of flowers.

On the shaded north side, indoor flowers will grow safely in the summer: dracaena, ficus, cyclamen. From annual plants, you can perfectly grow:

marigolds - undemanding to the soil, begin to bloom one to two months after planting the seeds; flowers have red, yellow, white shades;
forget-me-nots - it is better to grow on moist soil, the flowers have a bluish, white or pink tint.

Constructive arrangement of flowers on balconies

When landscaping balconies, two types of flowerpots and pots are used: horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal - the pots are placed on the floor; flower containers are fixed on the inside / outside (as a rule - along the entire perimeter of the fence); ladder on the shelves.

Vertical - vertical surfaces are decorated; internal walls; supports or trellises for climbing plants (sweet peas, decorative beans) are installed in boxes with flowers; use wall mounts to install pots; hanging baskets - pots (for ampelous plants - petunia, bindweed).

An additional plus with the vertical method of gardening the balcony is a natural darkening of the balcony and the adjoining room, which is important for the sunny sides of the building.

Vertical landscaping is beautiful and doesn't take up much space

There are general rules for growing plants on the balcony, regardless of the presence / absence of glazing. Compliance with common requirements will ensure ease and ease of caring for plants, will help create a cozy atmosphere on the balcony.

It is advisable to arrange the floor on the balcony from porcelain stoneware, ceramic tiles. Such material will provide easy care of plants (spraying, air humidification). And also the shade of the floor covering can support the theme of the "green" balcony (or become a contrasting spot in relation to landscaping).
The need to maintain access to rooms with a sufficient flow of light. So that the rooms are not greatly darkened, small flowerpots with flowers are placed on the windowsills, and it is advisable to select low plants.
It is fundamentally important to provide an aesthetic appearance of the balcony and plants from the room (especially if the sash of the balcony door does not have blind sections).
With the limited size of the balcony, the use of a multilevel arrangement of flower pots is justified. All kinds of flower stands, slides, columns will serve to design an individual image of the loggia.
In small balconies / loggias, it is not advisable to install plants with spreading branches or voluminous crowns - the size of the room will visually decrease. It is better to use compact flowers in neat small flowerpots.

The main thing is that the landscaping of the balcony is a reflection of the tastes and preferences of the owners, helping to create and maintain a calm and relaxed state. If it is difficult to choose plants, interior details on your own, then it is right to seek help from specialists.